Substitute
by HaZvisions
Summary: (Previous Title: Underneath It All) When the infamous Director Sakata loses the female lead of his upcoming movie, Kagura walks in to fill her shoes. (Okikagu and Kamusoyo)
1. 01 - China Girl, China Boy

**01 - China Girl, China Boy**

Note: The POVs switch in the middle of the chapter~ The waitresses of the restaurant wear any kind of traditional dress (cheongsam, kimono, etc.) as their uniform.

* * *

"Grrr." I wiped the stains on the table to vent out my anger.

I was completely fed up with the food service industry. No matter how bad a day I was having I was forced to put a smile on my face and serve customers. It was especially bad during _that_ time of the month. It was a good thing that my uniform was a red cheongsam, or else I'd also have to worry about bleeding through the fabric.

I used even more force to wipe away the stupid ketchup stain on the table to distract me from the pain.

"Kagura-chan, what did that poor table ever do to you? The owner's still angry over the plates you dropped the other day. I don't think you want to add a broken table to the list."

I looked up to see Soyo-chan smiling at me then down at the table where a slight crack had formed where I scrubbed.

"Ah. Damn. I won't say anything if you don't."

"Don't worry. I got chu." Soyo wrapped an arm around my shoulders. "Listen, I'll be off my shift in five minutes. Could you handle the customer that just came in?"

She nodded towards a table near the entrance of the restaurant and I followed her gaze. There was only one customer at the table, a young man with black hair.

"Sure." I agreed. "Go ahead and leave me here to die. You never really loved me anyway."

I clutched my chest, pretending to have a heart attack.

"Oh. Stop being so dramatic. You'll be fine. There's only two more hours left on your shift anyway. But if you really do die, I promise to make you look pretty in your casket."

We looked at each other then started laughing. While wiping away the tears that formed at the corner of my eyes, I spotted my brother at the door.

"Ah. You should get going. Onii-chan's already here."

"I'll head to the locker room first. Take care."

"You too."

Then, I made my way to Kamui-nii to tell him that Soyo was just getting changed and taking her stuff from the back.

"Isn't it about time you take my order?" A voice interrupted us. "Or is it more important that you flirt with your boyfriend right now?"

"We don't serve rude customers here. It's a new policy. I'll need to ask you to leave." I told him off while pointing to the exit.

He exhaled.

"Where's your manager? Don't you know that saying-'customers are always right'?"

 _Who does this guy think he is?_

"Ahahaha. Really funny sir. Don't you know that saying-'waitresses aren't your slave'?" I pulled out a punch near his face, but the man didn't even blink.

His deep red eyes still remained calm as if my fist wasn't half an inch away from making contact with his right cheek. Then, the man finally revealed an expression on his deadpan face. It was a small smile. An amused smile.

"Why don't I give you a second chance, China girl? If you can memorize my order without writing it down and serve it to me properly, then I won't complain to your manager. Deal?"

"Deal!" I didn't even hesitate. I wasn't someone to back off from a fight. I grew up in the streets after all.

"Good."

I handed the menu to him and he started listing off the dishes he wanted.

 _Oh, Kami-sama! He just listed half of the menu._

"Got it?"

"Just wait. You'll eat your words." I walked off to the kitchen to list off all the dishes he mentioned.

* * *

"Nice wig." I watched China boy tip his chin towards my wig.

I frowned, looking at the permanent smile on his face. He looked like the male version of the China girl who just took my order, hence, I dubbed him 'China boy'.

"What? Are you a fan?" I mocked him.

I watched the two slits on his face widen into a pair of sinister blue eyes.

"Listen here kid. It's fine if I bully my sister, but no one else can. You wouldn't want to lose that pretty mouth of yours, now would you?"

Before I could respond, a lady with long black hair appeared in casual clothes. Even without the traditional dress that serves as this place's uniform, I recognized her face as one of the waitresses that was fooling around with that hot-headed China girl earlier.

"What are you up to?" Her eyes narrowed as she looked at China boy sitting across from me.

"Ah. Hime-sama. I was just entertaining a customer."

She raised an eyebrow at the two of us.

"I highly doubt that. But, if you'd like to cheat on me with him, I approve. You've got good taste, Mu-chan." She teased.

"As if." He opposed.

I rolled my eyes, not bothering to comment at the idiotic couple in front of me.

"Ah!" I heard China girl exclaim like she just won the lottery. "Now, I get why you were so mad at me earlier. You thought I was taking away your target. Don't worry. Kamui-nii's all yours."

 _Unbelievable. How did you even conclude that?_

"Well, I hate to interrupt your date, onii-chan. But, I've brought all of this sadist's orders. I got all of the chefs working extra hard just for you. I hope you two enjoy it."

She had pulled out enough carts to surround the table.

"What would you two like to start with first?"

I eyed all of the plates on the carts and found that she surprisingly managed to remember all of the orders I placed.

 _Working with her should be more interesting than the last girl._

"No need." I got up from the table. "You passed. You can enjoy the meal by yourselves. Just put it on my tab."

I walked towards the entrance when I felt a hand on my shoulder.

"Wait, you sadist! What's your name?"

I leaned in close enough so the whole restaurant wouldn't go into a frenzy at my identity being revealed and mouthed out the syllables of my name. "O-ki-ta. Sou-go."

I watched her freeze up. I could imagine the gears in her head trying to process the information. I smirked. I think this was a good time to leave.

A few minutes after I left the restaurant, there was a loud yell that followed.

 _Such a late reaction._

It was too bad I didn't have more time to spare today. She proved to be more interesting than I initially thought.


	2. 02 - It's Always Brightest Before Dawn

**02 - It's Always Brightest Before the Dawn**

* * *

Ring. Ring. Ring. Ring.

 _Ugh._

I grabbed the nearest pillow and pulled it over my head.

Ring. Ring. Ring. Ring.

 _Oh. Damn it. I'm up. I'm up._

"Hell-o." I greeted, trying to hold my anger in.

 _Someone better be dying, or else…_

"Good morning. Is this Miss Kagura?" I heard a mechanical female voice greet me.

"Whatever it is you're selling, I'm not buying. I'm hanging up now~"

"Ah. No. Tama desu. We've met before. Do you remember delivering take-out to Studio 54 last week?"

"Ah, yes. If you want a refund, you'll have to talk it over with baa-san, I mean, the owner."

"Oh. No, that's not it. Director Sakata saw you that day and chose you to be the lead role in his upcoming movie, Yamabuki. I'm sure you know that the actress cast for the female lead is no longer available. We'd like you to fill in her role. Would that be okay with you, Miss Kagura?"

"Huh?" I admit my mind had dozed off elsewhere when she began her long-winded explanation, but I quickly agreed, hoping the call would end soon. "Uh. Sure. Why not?"

"Alright. We'd like you to come by the studio again tomorrow to sign the contract and get your script. All other details will be handled then. If there are no other concerns, I'll end the call. Have a good day!"

It was only after the dial tone rung in my ears did I realize what just happened. I bolted upright out of the comfort of my bed.

"I'm an ACTRESS?!"

I quickly called my BFF, Soyo, to clarify some things. Specifically, if I had dreamt up that call. I dialed the ten digits that I knew by heart.

"Pick up. Pick up. Pick up." I chanted as I listened to the dial tone.

"Kagura? Since when were you an early bird?"

"No time to explain. Quickly, tell me-is it true that the main female role is open for Yamabuki?"

"Huh? Uh. Yeah. It's been on the news for a month already. It seems like she walked out on them or something. Why are you so interested, anyway? I thought you didn't pay attention to such gossip."

"It's not that I don't like paying attention to such gossip. It's just that I can't afford a T.V. or a smartphone to look these things up. You're the only source of gossip I have, silly."

"O-kay. Now, tell me the real reason you called."

"You won't believe it. I just got cast as the main lead for Yamabuki!"

"You're right. I don't believe it."

"Soyoooo~"

"Alright. I kid. I kid. You must be telling the truth. Why else would you up so early when you refuse to wake up early even for a morning shift?"

"Aww. You know me so well~"

"But, isn't it a bit weird? You never auditioned, how did you get cast?"

"Hmph. They must have seen me walk in with all my glory and fell in love with me at first sight."

"Mwahahaha. Mu-chan, did you hear that?"

After Soyo summarized the events to onii-chan, I heard another prolonged laugh.

"Fine. Fine. Laugh all you want. Just so you know that when I become famous, I refuse to give you my autograph. Hmph."

"Yeah. Yeah. Anyways, I have to get back and help Mu-chan repair my sink. I'll talk to you later."

"Ahh. Well, then. Tell nii-chan to stop with the favouritism. He needs to help me with the plumbing for the sink and the bath tub. Oh, and the light burnt out in the dining room again."

"Only if you learn to stop breaking them. Plus if you stop eating so much, the light bulb wouldn't burn out so often." I heard his advice in the background.

 _Hmph. It's mami and papi's fault for passing on their strength._

"Oh, and before I go. Congrats Kagura-chan! Break a leg~" Soyo cheered before hanging up.

So this was real. I really got an acting gig. I still had my doubts, but I couldn't dismiss how my bright my future looked at this moment.

 _Who knew one sweet n' sour pork delivery later and I'd end up as an actress?_

* * *

The following day, I had a morning shift that I couldn't avoid, but I bribed Soyo to fill in for the rest of my afternoon shift so I could head to the studio. I didn't feel like using up more energy to head home to change and quickly biked to the studio in my red cheongsam.

Thinking back to the first time I arrived at the studio, the set was a mess. Members of the staff were scattered all over the floor. I initially thought they were dead. But upon a closer look, they were still breathing and had dark circles under their eyes. They seemed to only be sleep-deprived.

I still had to make it back to the restaurant so I yelled out, "Otose's Snack House delivery is here!", with the hopes of someone being alive enough to pay me or else, I'd have to suffer baa-san's wrath. I didn't know that I'd cause a mass stampede at the time.

I saw the sea of fake corpses come alive like zombies and rush towards me. My first instinct was, of course, to run. But there wasn't much space to run to so I tried my best to get to higher ground.

On my right, I spotted a wooden ship built on set and I quickly leapt up to the bow of the deck, stomping on a few heads on the way.

 _Damn. Is this a zombie apocalypse?_

Looking around the ship, I realized there was a dark green-haired maid robot sweeping the wooden floor with a broom.

"Ah. The delivery girl from Otose's Snack House. Hold on. Let me give you the money."

Her eyes rolled down and a series of numbers flashed by as she counted out loud.

"Sixty-three dollars and eighteen cents, right?" She asked.

"Ugh. Yeah?" Seeing that there was a bunch of fake zombies behind me, I was curious as to what could possibly happen next.

She opened her mouth and out came the exact number of bills and coins on her tongue.

 _That's a bit disturbing._

I took the (surprisingly dry) money from her mouth and held it up to the light. It didn't seem to be counterfeit money so I just shrugged and accepted it.

"Pleasure doing business with you." I passed the bags of take-out food to her then dived off a plank that stuck out from the side of the ship and quickly left the studio as soon as possible.

I certainly didn't think I'd be back at the time.


	3. 03 - Deal or No Deal

**03 - Deal or No Deal**

* * *

While reminiscing, I happened to arrive at the studio. There was no zombie staff. That was a good sign. The members of the staff were much livelier than before. It made me wonder if I was in the same place as before.

I smiled when I spotted a familiar green head among the crowd constantly sweeping up a storm with her broom.

"Tama! I'm here."

"Ah. Kagura-chan. I'm glad you could join us. The director's been waiting for you in the meeting room. I'll lead you there."

I followed Tama as she maneuvered her way through the maze-like set formed by the people and the objects. I saw some strange things on the way. There were birds in cages, space ships and strange alien-like beings.

"From what I've heard, isn't Yamabuki a historical movie? What's with all the sci-fi objects?"

"Oh. We're just clearing out the stuff used by the previous people who rented the studio."

"Ah. I see." I nonchalantly agreed. "There is one more thing bothering me. What was with the zombie workers the last time I was here?"

"Well. I probably shouldn't say this, but I'm sure you'll find out sooner or later. Director Sakata's been on the edge ever since the girl who used to have your role left. He's been working everyone to death by filming all of the scenes without her. That day, the staff finally collapsed from exhaustion and hunger. Of course, it doesn't help that the one starring opposite you is just as unreasonable, driving all the replacements away for every little thing they did that annoyed him. But enough about that, we're here."

 _Oh great. Is it too late to turn back?_

Tama pushed open the door and held it open for me. I hesitated walking in so Tama gave me a light push forward. I spotted a man with silver hair sitting across from the sadistic customer I met the other day. When I looked back, the door had already shut and Tama stood by it with her broom in hand like a prison guard.

 _Yup. It's too late. Well, if you can't beat them, join 'em, right?_

Seeing my awkward self standing a few feet from them, Director Sakata gave a friendly smile and urged me to join them at the table.

"Kagura-chan, right? This'll be the actor starring opposite you, Okita Sougo." He pointed to the man across from me who wasn't wearing a wig this time.

I nodded.

"Director Sakata. The sadist who's fallen for Kamui-nii." I acknowledged them both.

"China girl, should I show you just how 'straight' I am?"

"Oh no. I'm not mocking you. I'm cheering for you. Even if society doesn't look at you two fondly, I'll root for you two."

"Director, tell me again, why you chose this idiotic China girl to be my new partner?"

"Ah. I'd like to know too, actually."

"Oh you know, Directors never reveal their secrets."

"I think you meant 'magicians'." I corrected him.

"Magicians, directors. Same thing. Let's move on to the more important part. The contract."

He quickly listed out the important details to which I quickly zoned out of, but the words "four million yen" caught my attention again.

 _Just think about how many sukonbu I could eat with that._

"Deal!" I hastily signed off the contract with the life-time supply of sukonbu in thought.

Director Sakata and Tama left the room to finalize the contract. He left me with the sadist to get acquainted after he heard that we had met at Otose's Snack House prior to this meeting.

"Now that you're officially a part of the crew. You should know that I refuse to work with someone who acts half-heartedly. In other words, Sakata's the director in name only. The person you'll need to convince with your acting skills is me. I'll work you like a dog until the scene is perfect. Of course, I'd tell you to get lost right now if you couldn't do that. But, we added a strict 'No Quitting' clause in the contract this time."

Unfortunately, this sadist's voice brought me back to the sad reality.

 _Did I just sign my death certificate?_

* * *

After being thoroughly disregarded by the sadist, I left with the script as soon as possible and complained to Soyo as soon as I got home.

"How can such an unreasonable man exist! Again, who does he think he is? He should really get his head out of his a**."

"Now. Now. Look at the bright side. At least, you'll be in good hands. With such a strict teacher, there's no way anyone will laugh at your acting after the movie is released."

"Ugh. Soyoooo~ Who's side are you on?"

"Oh Kagura. You know I'm always on your side."

I pouted.

"It certainly doesn't sound like it."

"Oh, c'mon. I'm just teasing. Just think about the money. It'll be a few uncomfortable months for a few million yen. You can't get that much from working at Otose's place even if you work there all your life. I say it's a blessing in disguise."

"You're right. Maybe it won't be as bad as it seems." I started to drool at the thought of filling my room with sukonbu. "Anyways, I gotta hang up. I need to read over the script for tomorrow. That sadist said I needed to rehearse my lines with everyone else. I want to show him acting that'll make him cry and beg for my forgiveness. Ahahaha."

"Alright. Good luck! You better not be the one in tears after it's over. Night~"

By the time I finished reading the script, my alarm clock showed that it was already 3 in the morning. Time sure flies by these days. I'll just take a quick nap before practicing my lines again. I didn't have to work tomorrow so I should have enough time after I wake up.

 _Sh**._

I swore as I looked at my alarm clock.

Instead of a quick nap that I originally planned, I woke up at around noon the next day. I had an hour before the meeting started!


	4. 04 - (Ice) Cold Reading

**04 - (Ice) Cold Reading**

* * *

"Hold on."

 _Ugh. There he goes again. We've barely progressed past one page because of him._

In a room full of actors and actresses, he only picks on me. Is it because he can't have Kamui-nii? He's so hateful!

"Yeah, I know. 'read the line again'." I mimicked him. After hearing the same line fifty times, it was quite easy. I took a deep breath to calm myself before repeating the line. "I-I can move?! Your Highness, you can see me move?"

The sadist threw the script down before voicing his thoughts and sighing, "I knew this was a bad idea, but I didn't think you'd be _this_ bad."

He put his legs up on the table and crossed them over each other.

"You're lucky I haven't thrown this script in your face and walked out right now, 'Your Highness'."

"O-kay. Let's take a ten minute break everyone. Refreshments and cookies are just outside." Director Sakata tried to change the mood.

I stood up to leave just like everyone else when the sadist's voice shot down that thought.

"And where do you think you're going?"

"Getting some fresh air. It's too stuffy in here with your big ego suffocating me, 'Your Highness'."

"Do you know why I kept telling you to repeat your lines?"

"Cause you feed off others' misery, 'Your Highness'."

"Because you're not expressing the right emotions." He corrected me. "You say you've read the whole script, but why can't you properly express the significance of this line 'Your Highness, you can see me move?'"

"I'm expressing her surprise. What's wrong with that?" I argued back.

"Yes, she is surprised. She was a statue that miraculously turned into a real human being one day. It's a no brainer that she's surprised. But, she isn't just some statue, she's a guardian deity that's seen the beginning and end of many kingdoms. She's been forgotten over the years until the Crown Prince comes along and takes care of her. As a human, she can finally touch and see the things that he sees. She can finally be with him. She's not only surprised, she's overjoyed. Why can't you express that in this one line?!"

 _Wow. That was deep. I never would've thought of it that way._

Now, I see why such a hateful guy is such a popular actor. But, I wasn't going to outright admit that.

"Hmph." I sat back down to read the rest of the script again, taking his words into account this time.

Soon, everyone started to file back in and the rest of the cold reading resumed.

"Let's take it from the top, everyone!" The sadist yelled out.

Just like before, the sadist would point out every little mistake I made. After the same vicious cycle repeated for a few hours, the Director finally dismissed everyone. Of course, I couldn't leave without being taunted by Sadist one final time.

"I better see some improvement when the actual filming starts." He mentioned as he passed by.

 _Oh. How I wish I could strangle that neck of his._

* * *

"Soyooooo~" I called out.

I didn't have a shift today, but Soyo was the only one I could vent my frustrations on so I ended up at the restaurant without even thinking.

"Save me~" I clung to her with all my might, in spite of how busy she was.

"Honestly, what am I going to do with you?" She looked down at me, trying not to spill the two trays in her hand.

After serving the food at their respective tables, she asked for an early break and met up with me in the break room.

"So, what happened this time?" She asked.

I laid out the events of the cold reading for her, stressing the agony and torment I faced from the sadist.

"From the looks of it, isn't he just helping you? I admit his methods are harsh, but you're quite stubborn too. How else would you learn?"

"Soyo~~ Can't you take my side just this once?" I pouted, clinging to her waist.

"You don't have experience acting. Just take his advice like a grain of salt." She patted my head. "But if you really want to be scolded less, you should study your character well."

"That's the other thing. My character is in love with his character. HIS! I know it's just acting so I don't have to actually fall for the guy, but how on Planet Earth am I supposed to pretend to like such a hateful man?!"

"Well, that is a big problem. You've never fallen in love before so you can't properly express those emotions even if he wasn't involved."

"Exactly. What am I going to do? Soyo~"

"Well, you can always study real life couples."

"Like?"

"Me and Mu-chan, duh." She bluntly stated.

I couldn't help but let out a laugh in disbelief.

"I still don't fully believe you two are together. What did you see in that mama's boy? I'm obviously a better match." I pouted again.

I watched Soyo shake her head in disbelief.

"Then, why don't you tag along with me and Mu-chan for a date? You can watch us and other couples, too. Who knows? You might learn a thing or two."

"Fine." I reluctantly agreed.

 _What did I have to lose?_

* * *

I decided to meet up with Soyo and Kamui-nii at the zoo at around ten in the morning. It was still too early for my taste, but they wanted to see the dolphin show held at around noon and avoid the traffic, too.

When the two finally arrived, they were holding hands and acting the same as usual as if I wasn't tagging along as the third wheel. To this day, I still find it strange to see a gentle, romantic side to Kamui-nii when we often bickered like typical siblings, minus the excessive strength. But as cheesy as it sounds, that must be what love can do.

While watching the trainers play with the dolphins, a thought popped up in my mind.

"Soyo, how did you and Kamui-nii start to date, anyway? After I introduced you two, neither of you seemed particularly interested in one another, then out of the blue one day, you announced that you were going out. And without my approval, too. Hmph."

She pinched my cheek.

"Oh, this cheeky brat. You're not my mom or dad. Why do I need your permission? As for how we started to date, how did it go again, Mu-chan?" She directed the question to Kamui-nii with a coy smile.

I watched Kamui-nii gulp in spite of the smile on his face. I could tell how he felt at the sudden interrogation. If he messed this up, Soyo would never let him live it down.

* * *

 **A/N** : I stretched out my brain, trying to get this chapter out. Damned 1000 word limit! I put the limit on myself, but I still find it hard. Lol. So...I wrote this a few days ago and told myself I'd only release it after I finalized what the movie script would be about, but now I'm like f this. Let's just publish it. If I need to, I'll change it later.


	5. 05 - Running Into Trouble 1 of 2

**05 - Running Into Trouble Part 1/2**

* * *

"Ahaha." He let out an awkward laugh. "How did it go again?"

I watched Soyo show a smile that was not quite a smile.

"I'm kidding. Of course, I remember. It's impossible to forget a day like that. It was when Soyo-hime was still working at the amusement theme park."

Kamui-nii had a faraway look as if he was brought back in time.

"I often visited amusement parks back in high school." He admitted.

"By yourself? Why?" I asked.

"Yeah. I thought it'd be more inconspicuous if I left them behind."

I nodded. The 'them' Kamui-nii was referring to were the delinquents that he ruled over in our high school.

"At first, I went for the thrill of the rides. Then, I came to see a certain ticket girl's smile." His last words were barely audible as his cheeks turned red.

"Awwwww." Soyo interrupted while holding her phone in the air. "Look at the camera, Mu-chan~" She zoomed in on Kamui-nii's blushing face.

I shook my head at this silly couple. "Then, what happened?"

"I was working as a ticket girl for the month that Mu-chan visited cause I was filling in for a coworker that got into a car accident." Soyo explained. "I was actually from the costume department."

"When I noticed Soyo-hime wasn't appearing at the entrance of Hades 360 like usual, I asked around and found her getting harassed by a man with an axe."

"He failed to realize that I was wearing a Snow White costume and that the man with the axe was the Huntsman." Soyo whispered in my ear.

"I quickly sprinted and used the momentum to kick the man with the axe away from her."

"Scaring the audience." Soyo added. "They were kindergarteners by the way."

"I didn't know that it was a play at the time." Kamui-nii tried to defend himself.

"So, I helped the narrator out by saying that he was my Prince Charming in disguise."

"And then you two lived Happily Ever After?" I asked.

"Not quite. I didn't know Mu-chan at the time so I just scolded him for almost ruining the play. He was so meek. I would've never guessed that he was actually the top delinquent in our high school."

"That was the weekend before you formally introduced us." Kamui-nii mentioned.

"Eh?! That's the first time I'm hearing this. You two actually knew each other back then. How come you two didn't act like it?" I asked.

"Well, you know, it was embarrassing to recall how uncool I was." Kamui-nii admitted.

"Yeah. You weren't that cool." Soyo agreed. "You even had mustard around your lips and sleeves at the time. I remembered dubbing him as the 'Mustard Hero' in my mind."

"My bad. I got hungry looking for you so I had a few hotdogs on the way."

Soyo looked at the two of us and shook her head. "You two siblings are so alike."

"Wait. You still haven't mentioned how you got together?"

"Oh right." Soyo recalled the event. "After meeting Mu-chan at school, I kept noticing a shadow following me around when I went home or when I was at work."

"You had a stalker, Soyo?" I asked.

"I was protecting her." Kamui-nii corrected me.

"Naw. You were stalking me." Soyo agreed. "But it wasn't a bad thing. I'm glad he was there actually. If not..."

Her voice trail off.

"Wait. What happened next? Did you get kidnapped? Car accident? Found your brother with a man? Woman, tell me!" I shook her shoulders.

"I-I-I would've never been able to taste the limited edition sukonbu at the supermarket that day if it weren't for Mu-chan."

"I could the smell the rare fried potato sukonbu drizzled with Sriracha sauce from a mile away and I knew Soyo-hime loved sukonbu so I bought some."

"Wah! So you two fell in love because of sukonbu?! But, what about me? You bought it and didn't share it with me? ME! Your cute imouto. I feel so betrayed! You two belong together. You pair of liars! Liar liar tongue on fire!"

I ran out of the room just as one of the trainers was announcing the end of the show. I made a spectacle of myself, hoping one of them would chase me and coax me with food. Unfortunately, I lost sight of them in the crowd.

 _Just great. I don't even have a cell or money to use the pay phone to call them._ _Now, what?_

Just as I was contemplating whether to stay here and wait or explore on my own, I heard one of the vendors from a nearby food stall call out to customers for free samples and ran over in a heartbeat. Listening to the sukonbu I missed out on had made me hungry.

After following the trail of food stalls and eating all of their free samples, I ended up in front of the entrance to the aquarium. I've seen those floor-to-ceiling aquariums in the commercials when I passed by the electronics store on the way to work so it made me want to see it in person.

The place was more beautiful than I imagined. The walls were made of glass so it felt just like you were in the middle of the ocean with all sorts of fish swimming around. I followed the school of fish over my head as they raced through the arch on the ceiling in a zig-zag manner.

 _I wonder if I should have sushi for dinner tonight?_

Not all the marine life I spotted were appetizing, though. Some were strange, too, like the puffer fish that popped up on my right. It had purple scales that seemed like a five-year old drew all over it with a marker and its mouth was kept open, exposing its two buck teeth.

"Ahaha. Buck-toothed fish~" I heard some kids laughing as they pointed to the same fish.

It certainly looked funny. It was times like these that I wished I had a phone. I would've already sent a photo of the poor thing to Soyo with the caption "I found that sadist's look-a-like in the water."

I watched the other fish swim by as if trying to exclude the poor puffer fish just like the loner sadist when I spotted a silhouette on the other side of the aquarium. A group of stingrays were swimming around the area so I couldn't make out their face or hair, but the figure was wearing the same black jacket Kamui-nii wore today so I suspected this was my brother.

I moved as close as possible to the glass, watching the figure's back intently. Just as the last sting ray floated by, the figure turned around and I knew I was completely wrong.

A pair of deep red eyes landed on me. Shocked at first then it turned into something else. He had the kind of face you make when you open up your birthday present and find a new toy to play with. That sort of joy. It really sickened me.

I rubbed my eyes, hoping I was simply seeing things. But, unfortunately, that smug face of his didn't disappear. He always did have a way of ruining my day.

While I was lost in thought, the figure on the other side had disappeared.

Whew. I was hallucinating after all. There's no way he'd be here. What kind of joy would he get from watching fish? He was heartless.

I turned to look at the other breeds of fish, when I unexpectedly bumped face first into someone's chest.

"Oh. Sorry about that. I wasn't looking where I was-" I apologized then stopped myself when I realized who I had bumped into.

The red eyes that were on the other side of the aquarium had now come back to haunt me.

"I see you have a lot of free time. Slacking off from work already?" He commented.

Where was a stingray when you needed it the most?

"Umm. Ahaha. I was just looking for the bathroom."

"In the water?"

"Oh you never know where they hide those things." Barf. Even I knew how lame I sounded, but I quickly mumbled out a string of incoherent words to excuse myself so I wouldn't accidentally lose control and wreck his face beyond recognition. I snickered at the thought of his censored face. "Anyways, I gotta go. Hope you get stung by a stingray and die so I can get a better partner. Later~"

I quickly walked past him, eager to increase the distance between us.

"Are you a man?" I turned around to gawk at him for his stupid question.

"The better question is, are you a man?" I corrected him.

"That way is the men's bathroom. Opposite direction is the ladies' room."

"Of course, you'd know, 'Your Highness'. I almost forgot you were a woman at heart." I curtsied, then retraced my steps and passed him again. This time, in the opposite direction.

* * *

 **Deleted Scene (Another Option to how Soyo and Kamui met. Another failed attempt to make them canon lol):**

Kamui-nii had a faraway look as if he was brought back in time.

"I often visited amusement parks back in high school." He admitted.

"By yourself? Why?" I asked.

"Yeah. I thought it'd be more inconspicuous if I left _them_ behind."

I nodded. The 'them' Kamui-nii was referring to were the delinquents that he ruled over in our high school.

"At first, I went for the thrill of the rides. Then, I came to notice a certain ticket girl. I found myself slightly disappointed when I didn't see her at the entrance of Hades 360 like usual. When I was heading to the next ride, I saw the crowd gathering near the center of the park. I made my way to the front with brute force and found myself drawn to one girl among the princesses in the parade-Soyo-hime. That was the first time I saw her with her hair down. She wore a midnight blue kimono adorned with chrysanthemums and her hair had matching accessories. I clearly remember the lovely chime from around her anklet that sounded every time she walked. It was as if I was looking at a fairy that descended on Earth. Before I knew it, my legs had taken me to her."

"The first thing he said was 'Princess, would you like me to take you away from here?'" Soyo copied Kamui-nii's voice, which made me cringe. "Without my permission, he lugged me over his back like a sack of potatoes and leapt out of there."

"Ah. Kamui-nii, how could you?!"

"Hold on, Kagura. He did it for a good reason."

"I noticed that in spite of the regal air that she portrayed, I found her smile to be quite stiff. This wasn't the same smile she gave at Hades 360."

"I was actually in pain at the time. When I changed into my costume, there was an old lady that got pickpocketed. I helped chase the culprit, but I twisted my ankle in the process. There wasn't enough time to find a replacement so I figured I'd just endure it."

"But, by the time I looked at Soyo-hime's ankle, it had swollen up to the size of an orange."

"You should have seen how Mu-chan panicked. He quickly brought the emergency staff and when they said it was just a sprain, he still persuaded them to put a cast on my entire leg. I couldn't stop laughing at the time. I argued that I just needed ice and rest, but he was being unreasonable and wouldn't listen to me. I had to walk around in that cast for weeks."


	6. 06 - Running Into Trouble 2 of 2

**06 - Running Into Trouble 2/2**

 **Note** : The POVs change frequently in this chapter.

* * *

After I left the aquarium in a hurry, I managed to make my way to the petting zoo. The thought of cuddling next to fluffy bunnies was refreshing. It sounded like a great way to get my mind off that sadist.

I made a beeline for the rabbits at the corner of the pen and gathered as many as I could in my arms. I lay down among them, far enough not to squish them, but close enough to still feel their fluffy fur on my skin.

Just as I was wondering how great it would be to die from the cuteness overload, I spotted Soyo trying to take a photo of me.

"Found you, Kagura-chan! Mu-chan said you'd be here."

"You've always loved rabbits since you were a kid." Kamui-nii inserted.

Soyo took a few more photos at different angles and I turned my body to show my good side accordingly, using the rabbits as my accessories. I put them on my head, on my shoulders and wherever I could fit these fluffballs.

"Did something bad happen?" Kamui-nii asked, opening his eyes out of concern.

I always wondered how he could see through me so easily.

* * *

"Yeah, I ran into the Sadist and he ruined my mood." She replied and I patted her head in comfort just like when we were kids.

It was nice to see my little sister hasn't changed. Always expressing her feelings openly on her face and liking the same things since we were young. It made me wish she'd always stay the same.

Just then, I sensed a fellow sadist in the vicinity. Most likely, the same one that'll compromise that thought. I turned around to see that I was right. And surprisingly, he wore the same jacket as I did. No wonder the girls keep shipping us two.

"Ah! The sadist has a son!" My lil' sis yelled out. "He's Mommy Sadist now!"

"Quieten down, will you!" The customer from the restaurant yelled back. "I don't want the paparazzi finding me."

"Ooh. Is it because you have a wife even though you're actually gay and you took your son to meet your lover, Kamui-nii? You're right. The press will have a field day with that. Maybe, I should call them right now." She threatened.

"Don't. You. Dare."

"Oh. But, I do dare." She grabbed Soyo-hime's phone and proceeded to press a bunch of numbers.

I highly doubt she even knew who to call in the media, but sensing that actor was getting mad, I think her plan for her revenge worked.

It was when I saw him throw a rabbit at her that I knew I spoke too soon. I knew my lil' sis had good reflexes so she easily caught the rabbit and passed the phone back to Soyo-hime at the same time.

"You sadist! Anything, but the rabbits!" She screamed. "Is animal cruelty what you want to teach your son?"

"I'm not his son." The young boy interrupted.

He had short brown hair and green eyes. He didn't resemble any features of the famed actor. He must've taken after his mother.

"He's not my son. I'm helping out the director's friend. Now, go long, China girl!" He once again threw a rabbit in her direction, but this time the distance was farther and my lil' sis had to run and dive for it.

I wanted to help her but Soyo-hime gave me a look that told me to leave them alone.

"Don't ruin their fun, Mu-chan~"

 _Sigh. I could never go against what she wanted._

He kept repeating the same motions, making her run all over the pen until the zookeeper finally kicked us out for being too unruly.

Soyo-hime laughed and asked, "Wasn't that fun guys?"

"For you! You were only filming the whole time!" My lil' sis responded, clearly peeved.

"And I used up my poor muscles to catch all the action." Soyo-hime pouted and I took it as my cue to massage her shoulders.

"And you!" My lil' sis turned her head towards the actor. "What the hell was that back there?"

"I figured I would help you exercise. You looked bloated after feasting on all of the free samples from earlier."

"You! You were watching me since earlier?! You stalker!"

* * *

To be honest, I wasn't sure why my eyes kept following her back then. I just found it slightly cute seeing her run around. Like watching a squirrel stuff its cheeks with nuts.

"Okita nii-san." I felt a tug from my jacket so I turned to look at Seita. "I'm hungry."

"Ooh. I have an idea-" The black-haired lady that China girl often called 'Soyo' spoke out again while China boy moved on to massage her arms.

"No." China girl stopped her.

"Why? You haven't even heard it yet?"

"I just know what you're thinking and I'm already rejecting the idea."

"Oh, come on. I know of a good hot pot place nearby. Why don't we all eat out together? The more, the merrier, right?"

"Ugh. That's what I dread. Who wants to eat with that animal-abusing homosexual? I gave him so many nicknames, I'm confused as to what I should call him right now."

"See. That's why we should eat and get to know each other better. That way, you can come up with an even better nickname."

She pouted. I found that expression as cute as her stuffed cheeks from earlier.

"I have enough coupons for an eat-all-you-can buffet for everyone~" She pulled out five coupons from her pocket and showed them in front of the stubborn China girl. "It's too bad you refuse to go."

"Ah! Why didn't you say so? Let's go! Let's go!" She pulled Soyo's hand forward towards the exit of the zoo.

"I can't believe you still have enough room to eat." I commented.

"Hmph. Not even you can ruin the joy I get from eating."

 _Well, let's see about that._

I shook my head.

 _She was a true simpleton._


	7. 07 - Eat and Run

**07 - Eat and Run**

* * *

 _Mami, have I died and gone to Heaven?_

I shed a tear at the beautiful sight in front of me. There were all sorts of food. Western, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, some strange-looking Amanto delicacies, etc. I started salivating at the thought of stuffing myself with all of this food. Even my nostrils were overjoyed at all of the appetizing smells.

"Itadakimasu!" I charged towards the table and picked up all of the food I could carry on my plate.

"Kagura-chan, leave some food for us!" I heard Soyo try to stop me.

"You know the rules." I pointed out. "First come, first serve~"

When my plate was piled high with as much food as I could fit on it, I headed to our table. The others came after selecting from my leftovers.

 _Fools. Only the fast win in this war._

"Stop giving us that look like we'll take your food any second. Let's just eat in peace." Soyo warned me.

* * *

"Ah. I'm stuffed." China girl groaned like she was in labour. Her stomach was bulging.

She devoured her pile of food in a matter of minutes. I didn't expect that she had one hell of an appetite. I pitied whoever would marry this girl. I'm sure that even all of my savings would dwindle with this pig-headed girl.

"You sure you're not pregnant, miss piggy?" I asked.

She sent a glare at my comment before switching her attention to Tokugawa-san, who was currently tending to her boyfriend.

"Soyo~ Water~" She pleaded. Her breathing was strained.

"Not now. Gotta make sure Mu-chan eats his fill, too." Tokugawa-san waved a hand at her. "Oh we're out of food. Mu-chan, let's go get some dessert this time."

After the couple left the table, I watched China girl switch her attention to the ceramic kettle at the center of the table. She struggled to reach for it. Of course, I could've helped her out since it was closer to my side of the table, but this was too amusing.

After struggling for a few minutes of inching closer and stretching her hands from where she sat, she finally reached a cup and a few minutes later, the kettle too. She showed an accomplished smile as she poured herself a cup.

It was only after a few cups later that I realized that kettle didn't hold water. The most obvious sign was her complexion. Her cheeks were now dyed red.

"Hehehe." She started laughing out of nowhere like she was having the time of her life.

The next sign was her mood swings.

"I'm gonna kill you b*stard." She blatantly spouted the next second. "Just cause you're a hotshot actor, you think you can undermine me cause I'm an amateur actress? HUH? Punk!"

 _I'm gonna go ahead and say yes to that._

She stretched over the table and grabbed my collar. Now, I could really smell the alcohol from her breath. She put a foot on the table, unsteadily making her way towards me when she slipped forward.

My eyes went wide. I couldn't comprehend what was happening. Before I knew it, I fell backwards and my mouth was in pain. Her lips had smashed onto mine.

When she pulled away, she belted out a haughty laugh.

"Sadist is blushing~ Sadist is blushing~" I heard her sing then she reached out both of her hands to pinch my cheeks. "Who knew you could make an expression other than your deadpan face?"

She giggled and clasped onto my collar once again. This time, her eyes started to shut as she tried to say her last words. "Are you (yawn) starting to…fall…for me…?"

Then, her eyes completely shut and I watched her doze off on my chest. She may have been asleep, but her grip was still just as strong. I eyed her, still skeptical. I can't believe _this_ is the kind of girl I'd give my first kiss to.

"Let go already." I tried to shake her awake as I sat upright.

When she did wake up, she was even more clingy than before.

"Nooo~" She pouted, rubbing her head on my neck. "I don't want to let go..."

Her silky vermillion hair tickled my chin.

"Ch-China girl, what do you mean?"

"Isn't it obvious?" She looked at me with those innocent deep blue eyes of hers. I gulped. "I don't want to let go of my meat."

I wanted to internally smack myself. Of course, she's talking about food.

 _That's it. She's lost her mind._

She wrapped her arms around my neck. I felt her breath on my skin, then something wet.

 _Was she licking me?_

"Ouch!" I yelled out. "F*ck. You actually bit me?"

Surprised at my sudden yelling, she loosened her grip and I was finally able to pull her off of me. She looked like a wounded animal.

 _I'm the victim here!_

"Okita-san, you should treat women more gently." Tokugawa-san advised me as the idiotic couple joined us once again.

 _Gently, my a**. She's obviously not a woman. She's an animal!_

"Whatever. We're leaving. Thanks for the meal. Seita, let's go." I turned to the kid I was supposed to be watching for the day when I realized that the animal who latched on to me a while ago switched her target.

"Baby chicken sounds good too." I heard her say before positioning herself to take a bite out of Seita's arm.

I held onto Seita's other arm to pull him away from this starved animal.

"Wah. This sadist! Taking away all of my food." She held onto the boy's other arm.

"Let. Go." I mentioned through gritted teeth. "While I'm still asking nicely."

"No~" She insisted.

I sighed. _Why is she so troublesome?_

I let Seita's arm go and searched through the plates on the table to see if there was something I could throw at her to distract her at the moment. When I found something suitable, she was no longer there. And worse, Seita was gone, too.

I instinctively looked at the entrance and found that the doors were still swinging as if someone had just left the restaurant. I quickly rushed out and scoured the area, but there was no sign of her or Seita.

 _Sh*t. Danna was gonna kill me._

Who knew she'd be even more energetic when she was drunk?

I headed back to the table where the couple was still occupied with themselves.

"Tell me her number. Now." I demanded from the couple still in the room.

"She doesn't have a cell." Tokugawa-san explained.

"Address, then."

"Ohoho." She started to make this strange sinister laugh while raising the back of her hand over her mouth like a villain. "Visiting a single lady in the middle of the night. Are you sure you want to do that, Mr. Actor?"

"Cut the crap. Else your friend'll wake up as a cannibal on the news tomorrow morning." I was in a hurry. I didn't have time for this.

"He's no fun, Mu-chan." Tokugawa complained.

"There, there. Soyo-hime. Let me take care of him." China boy assured her. "Lighten up, Okita-san. She's always a little unruly at first after drinking, but she'll sober up within the hour. I can guarantee it. She's never eaten another human before. You should consider yourself lucky."

But, how do you know she won't eat one right now?

"Address. Now."

Seeing that I was so persistent, he finally gave in and told me her address.

"But don't get me wrong, I gave you the address so you can get your kid but if you do anything to my little sis, I swear you'll need to look for another job after I'm done with your pretty face." He added with that sinister trademark smile of his.

"Mu-chan, our baby Kagura's all grown up~" Tokugawa-san cried out.

I started to think China girl wasn't the only drunk here.

Seeing that I didn't need anything else from this idiotic couple, I quickly hailed down a taxi to the address that China boy gave.


	8. 08 - At Death's Door

**08 - At Death's Door**

* * *

After the taxi arrived at China girl's address, I told the driver wearing sunglasses to wait for me. He didn't look too happy, but he eventually agreed after I gave out my autograph. He mumbled something about selling it on We-Bay for five bucks.

 _Really? That's all my autograph is worth?_

"I'll deal with you later." I warned him, then headed to the second floor of the small apartment building. I stopped at Room 308 and knocked on the door where miss piggy should be living.

"China girl, I know you're in there. I can see the lights through the door." I announced.

In the middle of all this, I heard a familiar ringtone from my favorite movie, Saw.

 _Ah. What timing._

I didn't need to look at the caller ID to figure out who this was. It was Seita's second mom, Tsukuyo-san, a.k.a. the Drunk Terminator. The #1 person to avoid when drunk. China girl only comes second to her.

I cleared my throat before answering and calmed my nerves. I had to make sure the call goes smoothly, else I would not only suffer her wrath, but the Director's too.

"Hello, Tsukuyo nee-san." I greeted.

The other line paused before speaking. It felt like the calm before the storm.

"It's already 9 o'clock in the evening and I don't see you two at the door." She pointed out slowly. I could tell she was trying to hold in her anger.

She was very punctual when it came to Seita, but unlike ordinary moms, this one was Yoshiwara's Shinigami. So when people don't follow her plan, those people get hurt TIMES however many kunai she could find that day. I learned this the hard way the first time I was late. I shiver at the power of overprotective moms.

"Ah. Already? Seita fell asleep after eating and I lost track of time."

"Really?" She sounded skeptical. "Wake him up then and put him on the phone. I wanna make sure he's safe."

I gulped and tried to make up an excuse. "He's sleeping so soundly. I'd hate to wake him up."

"Didn't we agree that you'd bring him back by nine?!" Her voice grew louder. "It's time to bring him home so let me speak with him!"

Sigh. I hate to do this, but I have no choice.

I yawned and pretended to be Seita.

"Eh? Tsukuyo nee-san?" I tried my best to make voice higher like a twelve-year old.

"Okita-san who are you even trying to-"

I ended the call in a hurry. Seeing that I was gonna suffer either way. I might as well skip the scolding for later. I needed to get Seita back first to fix things. This would be easier to accomplish if I had my sword or even, my bazooka.

"China girl! I swear if you don't open up this door and give me back Seita, I'll break in!" I continued to slam into the door. I was even considering going downstairs and scaling the wall to reach the balcony in the middle of the second floor.

I was also seriously contemplating how to cut ties with Danna after this. If he wasn't the first director to help me out, I would've refused doing him any favours long ago.

As I rushed towards the door for the fifth time, the door opened halfway but I couldn't stop in time and ended up slamming my shoulder into it again. This time, the hinges must've come loose as I ended up falling down with the door.

"If you just waited one more second, I'd have fully opened up the door."

I heard China girl's voice fuming from underneath the door. Her head was sticking out from the side of the door and I saw a massive bump appear on her head.

 _Oops._

I wasn't heartless so I admit that I kind of felt bad for doing that. But at the same time, I really didn't have time for this right now. Not when there was a ticking time bomb waiting for her son.

"Where's Seita?"

"Get off first."

I rolled off the door and went inside the room, leaving China girl to her door.

"Seita!" I found the boy collapsed onto the small sofa in China girl's quaint living-slash-dining room. He was foaming at the mouth likely due to China girl's speedy getaway. I was glad to see that he was still in one piece.

I checked his arms and neck. There were no visible bite marks. That was good. It'd be difficult to explain to his Shinigami mom why her foster son was bitten by a human pig. I carried him over my shoulder and headed to the fridge for some ice. All I could find was a slab of packaged meat. I figure this would do since she loved her meat so much.

When I headed to the entrance with Seita still on my shoulders, China girl was now leaning on the wall with her door still on the floor. She reached out for my jacket sleeve as I tried to leave. She still didn't look like she was in her right mind so I assumed she wanted money for the door. I grabbed some bills from my wallet and handed them to her along with the slab of meat.

As I was leaving, I noticed many of her neighbours had come out to witness the scene after the ruckus we made. But I didn't care about any of that, I had to get Seita back to Yoshiwara in one piece soon or I'll be the next murder victim that my old Shinsengumi squad members will investigate.

* * *

I woke up the next morning feeling strange. I had a massive headache. Normally, I didn't get hangovers after I drank so this feeling was foreign. Whatever I had last night must've been hella strong to knock me out.

Speaking of yesterday, my memories were cut off after I ate my fill at the restaurant.

 _Oh well, I highly doubt they were important anyway._

Seeing that today was Monday, I took the trash out to the side of the building to be collected. I had a routine of greeting my neighbours on the way, but for some reason, none of them wanted to look me in the eye today. Instead, these oba-san huddled in a circle and murmured words like "prostitution" and "not what she seems".

 _Were they talking about me? Did I do something to offend them?_ I don't remember.

When I came back to my room, I noticed something strange about the entrance door. It seemed to be a bit more lopsided than the last time I looked at it.

 _Did someone break into my house when I was sleeping?_ That thought seemed scary.

When I came late to work for my afternoon shift, baa-san scolded me and I was so relieved that I gave her a hug. It was nice to recognize something familiar. I thought I was losing my mind. She looked at me like I was crazy though.

Soyo came to work for her evening shift just as I was ending my shift. As we were changing in the changing room at the back of the restaurant, she started to harass me.

"Quick tell me what happened last night."

"I should be the one asking you that. I don't remember anything after I ate at the restaurant."

"You mean you don't remember giving Okita-san a love bite and having him visit your house late at night?"

"Wait. What? I did WHAT? WITH SADIST?!"

She gave a detailed overview of the events she witnessed at the restaurant.

"Now quick, tell nee-san all the details." She urged.

Even after hearing about yesterday's events, my memories didn't return to me. Plus, hearing that that sadist knew where I lived now all because of Bakamui-nii really pissed me off.

"You're only older than me by 4 months! And why should I tell you who let the baka give away my address to that sadist? This is no longer friendship. This is a betrayal!"

"Now you're old enough to rebel. Nee-san feels hurt." She pouted and turned her back.

She moved her hands over her eyes as if she was wiping her tears. I knew they were fake tears, but the guilt makes me fall under her spell every time. I had a feeling she coerced Kamui-nii the same way.

"Look Soyo, I really don't remember much of what happened last night. I'm honestly telling the truth." I held my head as it started to ache when I tried to recall what really happened at the restaurant.

She rushed towards me with a worried look and I caught her.

"Are you sure?" She asked.

I blinked. The feeling of slamming into something helped jog my memory and a wave of feelings came over me.

"I-I just remembered what happened that night."

"Ooh. What? What?" She continued to pester me.

"I and that sadist. We-" I paused. I wasn't ready to admit that vile kiss happened to anyone and seeing that Soyo didn't see it, this was a lot easier to hide.

But really, of all the people to have my first kiss with it had to be HIM?!

Just imagining his smug face right now, thinking he'd conquered me so easily made my blood boil. It didn't help that he was such a brute to my door last night either.

"It's all that Sadist's fault that my neighbours are avoiding me! He broke my door and threw a bunch of bills at me to pay for it so now they think I'm a prostitute. Soyo~~ What am I gonna do? I'm so embarrassed, I want to move out but the rent there is dirt cheap. It's the only place I can afford. Soyo goddess, help me~"

"Eh? I dunno. I betrayed you, remember?"

"This would've never happened if I didn't go to the zoo with you and Kamui-nii! Forget learning how to act my role out properly, I'm gonna die of shame first~"

"When did you say you'll start filming the movie again?"

"Why? It's February nine." Wait. "That's tomorrow!"

"Then, how 'bout this? If you find work and home unbearable tomorrow and really can't stand it. You can come take refuge with me and Mu-chan."

As much as I hated to be a third wheel for twenty-four hours every day, I was actually considering it.

"Soyo goddess~" I hugged her.

 _Oh great Buddha, Kami-sama, and all the other gods._

 _Please forgive me for my behaviour yesterday, I promise it won't happen ever again._

 _Please grant me protection from the demon known as Sadist as we start filming for the movie._

 _And most of all, grant me eternal patience as I put up with his sadistic ways throughout this film, at least until after the film is over then I can freely beat him up without his fans and the staff knowing._


	9. 09 - Settling Differences (1)

**09 - Settling Differences (1)**

 **Note:** I've updated chapters 5, 7 and 8. Ch 5 has a bonus deleted scene. Ch 7 has some major changes. Ch 8 has a few extra scenes as a result of ch 7. Sorry I keep changing my mind. Fingers crossed that this is the last time I change the earlier chapters.

* * *

After a long discussion with Soyo, I concluded that feigning ignorance was the best way to settle things. Of course, my neighbours would still give me weird looks, but Soyo assured me that all gossip fades away quickly.

Then, there was the issue with Sadist. If I just act normally and pretend that nothing happened the other day, he won't be able to be smug about it or blackmail me.

 _Oh, Kagura, why are you such a genius~_

I eagerly walked into Studio 54 with my script in hand and headed to my dressing room for my make-up and costume. On my way there, I spotted the director scolding Sadist.

 _Serves you right, Sadist~_

I snickered as I passed by them. I couldn't resist the urge to hide by the wall propped up behind them to eavesdrop.

* * *

For the past twenty minutes, I've been forced to listen to Danna vent about his plans ending in disaster the other night when his date's head sprouted horns and an evil smile like a Hannya mask chasing him around with his own wooden sword. Of course, he blamed the disaster on me.

"What really happened last night?" Danna continued to interrogate me, but I refused to budge.

Recalling last night's memories had left me with mixed feelings so until I sorted this out, I thought it was best to keep the other day's events between China girl and I.

"I just lost track of time, really." I tried to convince him.

"Yeah. I figured out that much. But with what?"

His question was only met with my silence, but he persisted.

"Or should I ask _who_?"

I wasn't sure if he caught my eye twitch at his statement, but he gave up all of a sudden.

"I see. Let's forget about what happened the other night and work like usual then."

He turned and walked away towards the set, yelling at the staff members with his megaphone to rearrange the props for the set again. He was still clearly mad. I had a feeling that he was up to something.

* * *

Seeing Director Sakata walk my way, I dashed out from my hiding place and ran to my dressing room around the corner. I was glad Sadist had enough of a brain to not spill the truth. For that, he seemed a little less detestable.

When I walked into the room, I was surprised to find Tama. She was leaning over a table filled with several products ranging from make-up to hair. There was also a large mirror in front of her.

"Tama, what are you doing here?"

"Ah. Kagura-chan, you're finally here. I'll be your stylist." She informed me.

"It's not that I don't like the idea of you being my stylist, but why are you a stylist? I thought you were a maid robot."

"Oh. Director Sakata mentioned something about saving money this way."

"Wait. How many different jobs do you have?"

"Too many for you to count with your hands."

I patted her shoulder. She may have been a robot, but I'm sure she also feels that dealing with all of her duties was a pain. I felt closer to her knowing that we both work with insufferable people.

"I'll start with your hair first then make-up and costume."

I watched her work quickly as she followed the outline of an image that (I assumed) was programmed into her. She straightened my hair, then asked me to close my eyes as she covered my face with make-up and sprayed something on my hair. By the time I opened my eyes again, my head had turned silver. Tama helped me put on an equally silver knee-length dress with a matching pair of shoes that had a long lace which intertwined around both of my legs. Tama sprayed the rest of my skin silver from a few more spray cans and before long, I transformed into a full-fledged statue.

The script only vaguely described my outfit so I was in for a shock. Rather than a small guardian deity, I suited being a goddess more. I couldn't resist posing like a supermodel in front of the mirror and blowing kisses to my imaginary fans.

"Thanks Tama! I'll go out to the set and steal some hearts~"

I ran off to the set, ready to show off my new look. Director Sakata was the first to praise Tama's skills. Then, he described the pose I should make as a statue on top of the small rectangular pedestal in the middle of the makeshift garden.

I was thankful that the pose wasn't too hard. I just had to stand while leaning on a silver umbrella in front of me and gaze up at the sky. Of course, my eyes had to be closed and I couldn't move while we were filming to give off the idea that I was a real statue.

"And action!" Director Sakata yelled at the sunglasses-wearing camera man.

I spotted Tama holding the slate which listed the details of the scene such as the scene number, camera number and take number in front of the camera labelled A. I believe this was done to help out the editing team sort out the scenes later.

"Scene 15, A, Take 1." Tama announced.

I took this as my cue to close my eyes. I had no idea what was going on around me because I only briefly skimmed the script and didn't find any of my lines in this scene. There was just one sentence stating that I had to pose like a statue.

Now, I could hear footsteps coming closer and stopping next to me.

"China girl, that's a good look for you." I heard the sadist's voice below me.

 _Did he not see that the camera's filming right now?_

As if reading my thoughts, he responded. "They're taking a shot of my back right now so I can say whatever I want, but _you_ can't."

 _Oh how I want to beat him up with this umbrella…Breathe. Kagura. Just breathe._

"I never pegged you as the silent type. Let's see how long you can keep your mouth shut."

 _This sadist!_


End file.
